In NYC the nationwide "Cacophony Society," a group devoted to collegiate-style pranks (which usually involve a lot of drunkenness), beginning in maybe 1995 or so each Christmas would dress up as "bad Santas" of one ilk or another and attempt to flood downtown shopping areas to freak out or at least disconcert anyone they could. They lived for publicity and occasionally were featured on the local news.

I knew someone (a drunk) who was heavily involved. It didn't seem all that witty to me.

Nothing new that the leaders aren't touched. It happened here back in the sit-in days. I remember that when Paul Rudd (?) led the sit-ins at Columbia and he gave his speeches and was then driven away before the cops arrived. He never got touched but the kids who followed him did.

I thought that the whole concept was like a high school prank by a bunch of people with nothing better to do.

Sonic, I just happened to be up early today to go see the Rockettes, so it's their fault.

As for Multiple Santa, I just taped it (Outdated terminology! DVR'ed it!) last Monday. I am relishing the chance to sit down and watch it. It's not the best episode of The Tick, but it has my very favorite line, which I walked right up to earlier this morning, but wasn't quite willing to cross the line.

Incidentally, I think the best episode would be the one where Arthur kicks The Tick out of the apartment when The Terror attacks The City. So much to love about that one! Everything from the birth of the battlecrys, to The Tick's lament (When no one understands you, for the little things you do...), to Handy being constantly stymied by all the illiterate people around him... Ah, now that was fine comedy!